The present invention relates to a vehicle control and communication system, and in particular to a vehicle control and communication system that controls the speed of a vehicle along a pathway relative to the position and speed of other vehicles traveling along the pathway.
Ever increasing demands on conventional individual transportation modes has led to unacceptable congestion. Expanding populations, most noticeably in urban areas, have begun to over tax our city streets and highway systems designed to support a fraction of the vehicular traffic currently using them. Such congestions have led to unacceptable delays resulting both in waste of time and excessive fuel consumption. The congestion problems are exacerbated by poor traffic management within particular concentrated areas, as well as within entire highway/roadway systems. In addition, individual traffic as currently organized, depends on each person to drive his or her vehicle safely and responsibly. Unfortunately, differences in driving skills and levels of responsibility can cause serious injuries or even fatalities.
An alternative to highway based transportation systems have been mass transit systems, including trains and subway systems. The most significant drawback with respect to these mass transits systems is the inconveniences associated with their schedules to pre-determined destinations. Profitable mass transit systems require a significant number of people in need of transportation at a particular location, at a particular time, traveling to the same destination. Other destinations can be reached, but only with one or more transfers by the passenger from one route onto another. With heavy usage and the commonly-applied principal of first-come-first-served, people might not have an available seat, or personal space to work in or relax. Mass transit systems are also required to operate at off-peak hours with minimal usage making them expensive to operate.
A new alternative under development is the individual transportation system. Typically, these systems include a plurality of individual “personal” vehicles traveling along a common pathway or railway system, and combine the advantages of a highway based transportation system, such as an automobile, and the advantages of a mass transit system. While an individual transportation system may relieve traffic congestions, decrease pollution and excessive fuel consumption, it must also provide safety to the passengers as well as maximize throughput along an associated pathway system. Specifically, the system should maximize throughput within the pathway system by effectively managing the relationship between vehicles, but also the overall movement of the vehicles within the overall system.